Horned Grebe, Palm Warblers and Winter Wren at Middle Creek

As it was a rather mild day (no strong winds like we have been having) today, I decided to go birding at my favorite location - Middle Creek.

I arrived at stop 1 ands began glassing the visitors center pond...there where the usually Coots, Mallards, Black Ducks, Ring Necked Ducks, and Green Winged Teal. But there was also a surprise - a breeding plumage Horned Grebe - see below.

There was also a non-breeding plumage Horned and a Pie Billed Grebe as well.

After, watching the Grebe for quite some time and talking to several other birders, I decided it was time to move on. I decided to make a quick trip around the tour road...I no sooner entered and saw some borders moving around the edge of the road...looking thur my bins...they turned out to be Palm Warblers...the FOY warblers for me and surprise #2.

Palm Warbler

 After watching the warblers, I continued on the tour road until the end...making the turn unto the main road..i noticed some movement...I pulled the car over and checked it out - it was a Winter Wren...surprise #3 for the day.

Winter Wren

 I ended my 3 hour visit with a total of 38 species....and several first of year (FOY) species.

Until next time

Good Birding

Short Eared Owls at Middle Creek

Thursday March 29 was a rather warm spring day with temps in the upper 60's, so I decided to go to Middle Creek in the late afternoon to check and see if I could see the Short Eared Owls and them to my 2018 year list.

I arrived at the Middle Creek tour road stop 3 around 6:45pm as the sun was setting and the wait began. as I waited I observed several thousand Snow Geese, a female Northern Harrier, Eastern Meadowlarks, Ring Necked Pheasant, Bald eagles, Northern shovelers and a first of the year Osprey... to name a few.

As the sun continued it decent, I was getting anxious to see the Owls. My patience was rewarded around 7:50pm when not only one Short Eared Owl appeared but three. I watched them for about 15 minutes until it was to dark to see and then left for the day with my goal accomplished and a total species count of 36 - a good day. Below is a short recap of the Short Eared owl and a link to the all about birds ID site.

allaboutbirds

Until next time - good birding.

Not all that wander are lost.

Short-eared owl

Species

The short-eared owl is a species of typical owl. Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may not be visible. Asio flammeus will display its tufts when in a defensive pose, although its very short tufts are usually not visible. The short-eared owl is found in open country and grasslands. The scientific name is from Latin. The genus name Asio is a type of eared owl, and flammeus means "flame-coloured".

Short Eared Owl - stock photos

Yellowstone Natl Park - Day 6 - Sept 22

After another hearty breakfast, we packed our gear and headed for the park for the last time. We arrived to find some of the roads closed again - but that was ok - as we where headed to the Lamar Valley again in search of elusive wolves.

We not sooner entered the park area when we encountered our first surprise of the day..a bull Elk laying in the grass near the Visitors Center.

We next encountered a yearly Big Horn Sheep walking down the road....quite a unique site!!

The day was starting off quite nicely. As we traveled the Lamar Valley road we again saw many Buffalo and Pronghorns - but no wolves. Not discouraged, we continued driving toward the Pebble Creek campgrounds area we came upon what we thought was a Buffalo jam..but after asking a few questions about what was spotted - it  turned out to a Bull Moose jam. The Moose was standing in the field about 150 yards off the road..and as luck would have it - it came trotting toward the road and right in front of us...quite the sight - they are indeed huge!!!

Moose

After  the Moose encounter, we drove toward the Northeast entrance, and again observed some people looking at a rock face wall....and decided to stop and see what they where looking at..turned out to be several Mountain Goats standing on the rock face.after watching them a some time, we proceeded to exit the park and enter Cooke City for some late lunch.

As we re-entered the park for our return trip thru the Lamar Valley our hopes of seeing the wolves was renewed by all the other species we had seen already. A few miles after we passed the Pebble Creek area (where we saw the Moose) we saw a lot of cars parked along the road - again we stopped to see what everyone was looking at and where told a pack of wolves was bedded down in the field below us.

Quite excited, I immediately got out my scope and started looking for them...we no luck...but then several of them stood up and started walking toward to pine tree line...giving everyone excellent (if not distant) views. There was not chance to get any photo's and I and everyone in our party just enjoyed viewing the wolves as they faded into the mountains. Having seen them on NatGeo specials - needless to stay I was quite excited when I (and everyone else in the group) finally got to see them.

Some stock photo's of wolves from the NPS.

 

After some time of continuing to watch the area in hope they would re-appear, we continued our return trip and eventually with much regret, exited Yellowstone Natl Park for the last time on this trip. We ended up seeing every major species in the park - with the highlight begin the wolves and the moose.

As we returned to the rental home, we saw this Mule Deer walking along the roadway.....a fitting end to our day of wildlife viewing....and we where all looking forward to dinner and a good night's sleep before heading to the Bozeman airport and the flight home in the morning.

We are already planning another trip sometime in 2019..and I can't wait to return to Yellowstone...it truly is a national treasure.

Until next time - good birding

Not all that wander are lost

Middle Creek visit after Spring snow - March 23

I decided to make a visit to Middle Creek today - the 2 days after the first day of Spring nor-easter. As expected the tour road was closed as well as the boat launch area..but otherwise everything was operational. The roads where clear, and the snow is melting away.

I started my visit by stopping at the visitors center to see if and when the tour road would be opened again...typical of the game commission - they had no idea or at least would no commit to anything. The feeders where active and I tallied 11 species before I left....and proceeded to stop 1 and the lake.

White Throated Sparrow

On the lake where Common Merganser's, Ruddy Ducks, Coot and Black Ducks. On the pond across the road from the lake where mostly Ring Necked Ducks and a single Bufflehead.

Bufflehead

 

Also sitting near the edge of the pond was a Red Shouldered Hawk.

Red Shouldered Hawk

As I moved to my next location, I looked out over the lake and saw about 20,000 Snow Geese still there....the numbers have dropped but it was still an impressive site. I pulled over to the side of the roadway, near a flooded area, that had held Wilson's Snipe in the pass. I scanned the area...and sure enough...caught some movement....as it turned out there where 5 Wilson's snipe foraging along the 'shoreline'. I watched them for quite a while..as I don't get to see them very often a Middle Creek or elsewhere for that matter..a real treat.

Wilson's Snipe - look at center near edge of weeds.

2 Wilson's Snipe..look at center edge of weeds near the water line.

I left with a species count of 36 for the 2 1/2 hour visit.

Until next time - good birding

Not all the wander are lost

Yellowstone Natl Park - Day 5 - Sept 21

We awoke to a very cloudy day and snow - are we proceeded to the park entrance we where not hopeful that the roads would be open and sure enough - all roads except the road to Manmouth Springs and the Lamar valley where indeed closed. And as it was still snowing there was no time when it it was expected they would be opened.

As it turned out, this worked out just fine. We had not visited the Hot springs are yet...so what better time then in a snow storm. It did provide a rather spectacular setting to observe the hot spring. ass you can see from the photo below.

mammoth hot springs view looking down at parking area.

Overflow from hot springs...no snow here.

There is boardwalk that you can walk around the entire hot springs area, and although it was snow covered, it proved rather easy to navigate.

Mammouth Springs in the snow - wife and I

Mammouth Springs boardwalk entrance sign

After exploring the area, it was once again a quick drive along the Lamar Valley Raod in search of wildlife - and as usual we where not disappointed. we saw Pronghorn. Elk, Buffalo, Moose, Coyoto, Mule Deer and Bighorn Sheep.

Elk - a big bull in the middle of the photo

Sunshine on the mountain tops

 We did have one surprise

....a coyote in the parking lot as we where looking at Buffalo.

Another surprise as we where leaving for the day...some Black Tail deer...the first we had seen/

We exited the park about 7pm and returned to our rental for dinner and a good nights rest..tomorrow would be our last day in the park..how quickly time flies.

Snow Goose & Tundra Swan at Middle Creek Wildlife Area

It's March and that can only mean the annual Snow Goose show at Middle Creek Wildlife area has begun.....and as in years past..this year did not disappoint. As in the past few years, the Snow Geese arrived early this year - around mid February as the weather was quite warm (global warming???). There where an estimated 200,000 snows at the MCWMA the weekend of February 24th....however, that numbers have declined steadily since then.

Currently, there are about 3,000 Snows and about 400 Tundra swans at Middle Creek.

Snow Geese looking toward willow Point

Tundra Swan

Tundra Swan

Snow Geese looking from Willow Point

With the ice cover gone from the lake and ponds - there are also several other species of waterfowl showing up: Ring Necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Common Mergansers, Bufflehead, Amer Wigeon, Black Duck and Mallard.

There was also several Redheads (only seen they here once before by me) seen a week ago..and that was very nice surprise.

Ring Necked Duck

Great Blue Heron

Amer Wigeon

RedHeads

Looking forward to a year of good birding and more posting.

Not all that wander are lost.

Yellowstone Natl Park - Day 4 - Sept 20

Today our goal was to drive to the Fishing Bridge area ands VC, Hayden Valley, Yellowstone Lake and to stop and tour the Mud Volcano area of the park. When we arrived at the Park entrance the angers told us that all roads where open, but another storm was coming later in the day and they close at anytime. We decided to take our chances and headed for the Fishing Bridge area of the park. (see link below)

Fishing Bridge and surrounding area guide

The drive thru the Hayden Valley was beautiful, but very uneventful - as we saw very little wildlife (perhaps because of the weather), but the scenery more than made up for it. We decided to travel to the farthest point in our trip  - Yellowstone Lake. (see link below). The area in and around the lake is beautiful and the scenery is spectacular, however, we spend very little time there as the wind and snow where beginning to pick up...so decided to start our return trip a little earlier than expected. Below is a link to the Lake Yellowstone area.

Lake Yellowstone - looking East

Yellowstone Lake

Making our back, the next stop was the Mud Volcano area, this is quite an interesting place and we did end up spending quite a bit of time here exploring the area.

Here is a video link:

mud volcano video NPS

Mud Volcano - video

Mud Volcano - signage

Mud Volanco area

Wife & I at Devil's Cauldron area - Mud Volcano area

The weather didn't get any worse and the snow held off, so after a long day of touring the Fishing Bridge and the surrounding area, we began our journey back over the pass and our rental home ..arriving at 8pm...after a late supper everyone retired for the evening....having spend another wonderful day in Yellowstone.

Not all that wander are lost